Musicians relished in the act of playing in front of a live audience for the first time months last Thursday evening (Aug. 27).
Some performed live for the first time.
Saint-Germain Caf茅 and Gallery in downtown Penticton hosted local band Yarrows鈥� debut album launch party in front of a 鈥渟urprisingly large鈥� but socially distanced crowd of approximately 20 to 35 people.
Ambient artist Tahal made his live debut as the opening act.
The caf茅鈥檚 small patio was transformed into a stage for the night as small groups of friends gathered at distanced tables on both sides of the street.
Many attendees said it was the first live music they had seen in quite some time.
Yarrows鈥� guitarist Mathieu Drolet, originally from Val-d鈥橭r, Que., said it was refreshing to be able to perform in front of a crowd for the first time in many months.
鈥淚t was nice to play in front of people again鈥o see people. It was the first night we could really hangout together,鈥� said Drolet.
鈥淓ven if their were some (other) ways we could have done something it took an event like this to really get us all together.鈥�
The band鈥檚 singer, Stephanie Lines, was impressed with the way Chris Millin, owner of Saint-Germain Caf茅 and Gallery owner and host of the event, was able to pull off the show with proper COVID-19 safety protocols in place.
鈥淭his show was pretty ingenious,鈥� she said. 鈥淔olks that I know that actually have to be really careful because of their family members who have cancer were actually able to come out tonight.
鈥淭hey just wore their masks, sat at their table鈥� having it outdoors worked great.鈥�
The night was kicked-off around 7 p.m. by Tahal, who is from 琉璃神社.
The 21-year-old, whose birth-name is Noa Magnin, warmed up the crowd with his down-tempo, ambient electronic beats as the sun began to set on Main Street.
Magnin fell in love with ambient music from a young age, citing acclaimed Scottish electronic duo Boards of Canada as one of many his many influences.
鈥淔or me it was very emotional, heavy music and that鈥檚 what I like to go for,鈥� said Magnin of his chosen genre.
Magnin, originally from Switzerland, was very excited for his first opportunity to perform in front of a live crowd. He said he was 鈥渁 little nervous鈥� before his set, but if he was it didn鈥檛 show.
| 21-year-old ambient artist Tahal made his live debut at Saint-Germain Cafe and Gallery Thursday, August 27, 2020 in Penticton. The native of Switzerland also studies sociology at UBCO in 琉璃神社. |
琉璃神社 ambient artist Tahal is making his live debut at St. Germain's cafe in downtown Penticton. The 21-year-old DJ, originally from Switzerland, is opening for Penticton band Yarrows at their debut album launch party.
鈥� Jesse Day (@jessewilliamday)
Tahal recently released his first EP, Liquid Modernity which can be found on his Souncloud and Spotify.
Yarrows hit the makeshift stage slightly after 8 p.m. and immediately caught the attention of everyone nearby with their unique, hazy blend of psychedelic, country and desert rock.
Drummer Thomas Hunter described their sound as 鈥渁n independent version of Fleetwood Mac meets Sonic Youth.鈥�
The three-piece band鈥檚 debut album, Stardust Motor Inn 鈥� named after a now defunct Penticton motel 鈥� aims to convey Penticton鈥檚 unique dichotomy of natural beauty and 鈥渓anguid slowness,鈥� explained Lines.
鈥淭he music blends to a dreamy feel of a desert and the Stardust Motor Inn epitomizes that,鈥� added Hunter.
As Lines put it, Penticton has 鈥渢hat stardust, that sparkle, the feeling of keeping hope alive鈥n the summer it鈥檚 very vibrant, very alive, and in the winter at some times it feels very dead, very depressing, very grey鈥� but there鈥檚 still this perception people have of it鈥� they see the sparkle.鈥�
Lines explained she hopes Yarrows鈥� album, which was four years in the making, expresses that unique contrast.
The new album can be purchased through Yarrows鈥� bandcamp page.
